


Breaking Rules

by AnnieVH



Series: Behind Closed Doors [37]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Friendship, Rumbelle - Freeform, Spinning wheel, domestic abuse, well somewhat flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-04
Updated: 2015-08-04
Packaged: 2018-04-12 22:22:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4496928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnieVH/pseuds/AnnieVH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumple's spinning is interrupted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breaking Rules

**Author's Note:**

> Pairings for this verse: eventual Rumbelle and Swanfire.  
> Warnings for this verse: abusive relationship, implied non-con situations, child-abuse, violence, infidelity, very anti-Milah.
> 
> Beta: maddiebonanafana as always. She heard me complain and whine and just throw tantrums over how hard this verse is and pretty much let me unload my angst on her. My beta is a life saver.

Rumple could live with Milah's foul moods, especially around Bae's birthday. She always got a little more sensitive around that time, filling their days with random explosions and petty criticism. But she always peppered cruelty with a little bit of kindness; she'd snuggle close to him in bed, ask for his help so they could prepare dinner together, or just let him kiss her cheek before leaving the house.

Not now though. Milah was being deliberately difficult ever since his hand was broken, often referring to the accident as if he had caused it to make their lives a little harder. She hadn't slept in the same bed as him since then and overall refused to let him near her. Whatever words she had given him (and there hadn't been many) were filled with contempt.

He was used to her mood swings. But that distance she put between them was unbearable. Rumple would take her hate over her indifference any day. Hate he could work with and turn into something good. But the fact that she didn't even acknowledge his presence anymore made him feel helpless, and he hated helplessness above all else. She didn't love him, and there was nothing he could do about it until he won the right to approach her again.

That went against the very nature of their relationship: Milah would do something destructive, then welcome him back to pay for the damage and nurse her back to sanity. If she didn't let him close enough to comfort her, he was useless as a husband, easily replaceable.

 _W_ _e're back where we started_ , he thought around the fifth day, as he approached the time to go home. _We're back where we started and pretty soon she's going to call the biker._

Rumple spun his wheel. He couldn't make thread with only one hand, but the way it moved was still soothing to him. Although tonight his mind was louder than ever.

 _I should apologize,_ he thought. _Just apologize and say the whole thing was my fault. We've come too far to give up now_.

Before Valentine's Day, she had gone eighteen months without even raising her voice. They were reaching a good place. They were fixing things. Rumple would give anything to go back to those simpler times.

He was so distracted making the wheel turn and trying to silence his mind that he didn't notice Belle was in the shop until she placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Whoa, sorry,” she said when he startled. “Sorry, didn't mean to scare you.”

Rumple looked at her, then around. This was the back of the shop. Belle was not supposed to be here. It was against the rules.

“You could have called me,” he said, searching for his cane. He had to get up and get her to the front of the shop, and quick. The last thing he needed was to give Milah another reason to be mad.

“I did. You didn't answer. Though I can see you're busy.” Belle regarded the spinning wheel with curiosity. She teased, “Turning straw into gold?”

He didn't laugh. “Just watching the wheel. It helps me clear my mind.”

“Huh.” She eyed the strange looking tool once again and dared to give the wheel a spin herself. “I see the appeal.”

“Funny girl. Where did I put my cane?”

“Don't, please, I just came by to see if you're feeling better. Or if you need any help.”

He continued to look for his cane nonetheless, not even looking her in the eye. “I'm doing well, thank you. Where _is it_?” This was frustrating! He _had_ to take her to the front of the shop!

“Let me see. Oh. There you go,” she said, producing the cane from under the cot. “I think it just rolled away.”

Rumple mumbled “Thank you” and pushed himself up. He pointed to the curtain. “Do you mind?”

“I really need to get going, actually,” she said, to his disappointment. “I'm meeting Ruby for dinner.”

And she still refused to move.

Why couldn't she just go to the front of the shop?

“I'll walk you out.”

“No need.” She looked at the spinning wheel again. “This looks really relaxing.”

Rumple nodded, noncommittally. He didn't feel relaxed. Quite the opposite.

She looked at him, smiled, and said, “You should teach me to do that sometime.”

Rumple blinked at her, taking a second to think of what that would entail. He hadn't taught anyone in years. Milah avoided the shop and everything in it like the plague, and Bae had never taken an interest in that particular hobby. Cora had been the last person to sit at that stool, other than himself, but that had very little to do with learning how to spin, and a lot to do with seducing each other.

Which was probably why he was now remembering everything wrong. He wouldn't have to sit so close to Belle. He wouldn't have to guide her hands ever so gently. He _sure as hell_ wouldn't have to whisper instructions and words of encouragement in her ear.

Rumple cleared his throat. “It's better suited for old men like me.”

“Alright. I'll leave you to it.”

Those words were a weight off his shoulders.

“I can bring you some books if you'd like,” she said, getting ready to leave. “Just text me anything you want and I'll stop by tomorrow.”

“Yes, thank you, Belle,” he said, glad to see her disappear through the curtain. Then, he rushed after her. “Uuh, Belle?”

She turned on her way to the front door, throwing a cascade of brown hair down her back in the process.

“I'll come by the library tomorrow. It's on my way. You don't have to bother.”

She didn't bat an eye. “Okay, see you tomorrow.”

Rumple sighed with relief as Belle left his shop. Disaster avoided.


End file.
